News broke last night that a second major Tea Party organization here in North Carolina has endorsed Republican US Senate candidate Greg Brannon.

Moore Tea Citizens — one of the largest and most influential grassroots organizations in the state — gave its blessings to the Cary OB-GYN’s effort to unseat incumbent Kay Hagan Monday evening. MTC president Miriam Chu announced the news to Brannon while he was in town opening his new Southern Pines campaign headquarters.

Brannon and state House speaker Thom Tillis are widely viewed as the front-runners in the crowded GOP primary field. This week, Rasmussen Reports released polling on this race. The pollster found, in hypothetical head- to-head general election matchups, Tillis beats Kay Hagan 47-40 while Brannon beats her 43-39.

Formal filing for the office occurs in February. The primary elections take place in May.